An allergic reaction is an increased sensitivity of the body to some substance. The cause of allergies in a pet can be a change in diet, treatment with various drugs, the emergence of insect parasites, biological microorganisms.
Food allergies in dogs
The most common allergy in dogs is food. As a rule, products are provoked by allergic reactions from the general table. Often it happens that the canine organism is not able to perceive such food as chicken meat, both raw and boiled, chicken eggs, fish products, milk, yeast, soy, fruit or red vegetables. It should be remembered that everything smoked and fried is better than not even offering a pet, and chocolate and sugar are completely excluded from the possible diet.
Dog owners who prefer to purchase specialized feed for the pet are also not immune from allergy symptoms, the fact is that a new type of food can cause allergies due to animal stress, and the feed itself is different in composition, which can also cause an allergic reaction of the body the pet.
Allergy to medicines
If you need to treat the animal from any disease, consider that some groups of drugs can cause allergies. Before using drugs it is better to consult a doctor, especially if you plan on treatment with antibiotics, sulfonamide drugs, barbiturates, pyramidone and others. In addition, the reaction can cause vitamin B1, brewer's yeast, pollen of flowers, live bacteria that make up vaccines or serums.
The use of various household chemicals or cosmetics for animals can cause dermatitis, it is better to choose hypoallergenic shampoos for an animal. Means of household chemistry, which we use, can also be dangerous for animals, and store them better in places inaccessible to the dog.
Manifestation of allergies in dogs
An allergy to the skin in dogs often manifests as redness accompanied by itching. If the animal is constantly itching, and the hair is clearly visible red spots, you should think about the causes of allergy and its treatment. Note that itching and redness can be caused by the appearance of fleas, scabies mites, bacterial infections. Before you start treatment, you need to identify the cause, the best thing to do with this task will consult a veterinarian.
Contact dermatitis or food allergies can look like a kind of dandruff. Loss of hair clots and focal alopecia can become not only a consequence of allergies, but also other diseases. The appearance of an unpleasant odor from the mouth of the animal or from the whole beast often indicates the presence of skin problems, and allergies can also be manifested by lacrimation or ear problems.
It is best to see a doctor if any of these symptoms occur, because in addition to allergic reactions, there may be other diseases that require immediate treatment.
It is difficult to name any one universal medicine for allergies for dogs, and there are several reasons for this. Antihistamines may have a "sleepy" effect, in addition, only the doctor will be able to tell the exact dosage and the most suitable medicine. Proper nutrition of the animal and suitable conditions of maintenance will be the key to the health of the pet, and controlling the behavior of the pet will help to identify the problem at an early stage.